Suction cleaner having filter structure encasing and supported by an electric cord



March 20, 1956 J. E. VANCE 2,738,538

SUCTION CLEANER HAVING FILTER STRUCTURE ENCASING AND SUPPORTED BY AN ELECTRIC CORD 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 3 1951 INVENTOR. John E. Vance ATTORNEY.

March 20, 1956 Filed April 5 1951 J. E. VANCE SUCTION CLEANER HAVING FILTER STRUCTURE ENCASI AND SUPPORTED BY AN ELECTRIC CORD 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 4

INVENTOH. John E.V0nce ATTORNEY.

J. E. VANCE March 20, 1956 2,738,538 SUCTION CLEANER HAVING FILTER STRUCTURE ENCASING AND SUPPORTED BY AN ELECTRIC CORD 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed pril 5. 1951 INVENTOB. John E. Vance $444444 ATTORNEY.

United States Patent SUCTION CLEANER HAVING FILTER STRUC- TURE ENCASING AND SUPPORTED BY AN ELECTRIC CORD John E. Vance, North Canton, Ohio, assignor to The Hfoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, a corporation 0 Ohio Application April 3, 1951, Serial No. 218,943

Claims. (Cl. -351) The present invention relates to the art of suction cleaners and more particularly to an assembly permitting mounting of the control switch upon the manipulating handle in such fashion that it supports the filter structure and is readily separable or assemblable with the handle so that all electrical components of the cleaner may be permanently assembled at the factory.

The electrical switch arrangement provided for floor supported, handle propelled suction cleaners has hitherto given rise to numerous difficulties. It has been common practice to assemble the service cord and switch with the handle, to run an electrical lead through the handle and to provide a separable electrical connector in the handle socket structure on the cleaner in which the handle is field mounted. The foregoing construction has been widely used because it is not feasible to ship suction cleaners of this type with the handle assembled. Commonly the cleaner proper is shipped in one carton and the handle, switch and service cord assembly are shipped separately. Field assembly of electrical parts, usually by a salesman, adds undesirable complications to the structure by reason of the fact that a separable electrical connector must be provided in the handle socket and in the end of the handle and these parts are necessarily positioned at the exact point at which the handle securing means is fastened.

The foregoing structures sometimes cause electrical or mechanical difiiculties due to the presence of the separable connector in the handle cleaner body connection.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a construction which will permit complete and permanent electric connection of all electrical parts of the apparatus at the factory, separate shipment of the cleaner proper and handle and mounting of the control switch structure in the field in a very simple and effective manner which does not require the salesman or purchaser to be concerned with electrical'connections in any particular.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a suction cleaning apparatus having a handle mounted switch in which the cord connection from the switch to the cleaner passes through a part of the filter structure to be concealed and to support the filter from the switch structure.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a structure of the foregoing character in which the switch mounting housing attached to the manipulating handle of the cleaner is provided with a filter supporting means forming part of or surrounding part of the electrical connections running from the switch to the cleaner body proper.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein;

Figure 1 is a small scale side elevational view illustrating a suction cleaner embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a rear view partially in section of the apparatus of Figure 1 drawn to an enlarged scale;

Figure 3 is an enlarged scale sectional view of the up per portion of the handle, switch and filter mounting structure of the apparatus of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 44 of Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the lines 5-5 of Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a side elevational view partly in section of a modified form of the invention;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken along the lines 7-7 of Figure 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 8 is a sectional view drawn to an enlarged scale of the filter securing structure embodied in Figure 6.

The invention is illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 applied to a suction cleaner of the type disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 2,095,466 issued October 12, 1937. This cleaner consists of a main body 1 including a suction nozzle 2 within which a suitable surface brushing and agitating member 3 is rotatably mounted. The cleaner body is supported upon suitable supporting wheels 4 and rotatably supports a housing 5 which includes an electrical motor carried in a section 6 of the housing 5. A fan chamber 7 is carried by the housing 5 within which is mounted a rotary suction fan. 8 driven by the motor. The fan chamber 7 is provided with an exhaust duct 9. The body 1 is provided on one side thereof with an air duct 10 providing communication between the suction nozzle 2 and the fan chamber. The rotary member 3 is driven by belting from the motor in a manner not shown but disclosed in the aforesaid Patent No. 2,095,466. The pivoted housing 5 is provided at its front end with a projecting socket 12 which receives the lower end of an elongated manipulating handle 13. The handle 13 is removably secured in the socket 12 by means of a short stud 14.

The upper end of the exhaust duct 9 is provided with a pair of spaced apart ribs 15 forming securing seats for the lower end of a flexible bellows 16 which may be made of rubber, plastic or other suitable flexible material. A circumferential binding ring 17 secures the bellows to the exhaust duct 9. The upper end of the bellows 16 carries a tubular adapter and connector member 19 which is provided with a circumferential clamping wire 20 secured to the adapter 19 by means of a tab 21 at one side and connected to a known type of toggle latch 22 at the other side. Suitable manipulation of the toggle latch 22 causes the wire 20 to expand away from the member 19 or to be drawn tightly thereagainst. A filter member 23, preferably of paper though it may be made of other filtering material, is mounted on the end of the tubular adapter 19 and is secured by means of the clamping Wire 20.

The exhaust duct 9 as shown is oil center with respect to the center line of the cleaner and is provided with a cylindrical section 25 adjacent the point at which it merges with the pivoted housing 5. A mounting plate 26 is provided with an opening telescopically receiving the cylindrical portion 25 of the exhaust duct 9 and is secured thereto by set screws 27. The plate 26 has the opening receiving the cylindrical section 25 ofiset so that the plate 26 as a whole is centered with respect to the housing 5. A fabric filter casing 28 has its lower end secured to the external surface of the plate '26 by means of a clamping band 29. The filter casing 28 is tubular and completely encloses the filter 23, the adapter 19, the bellows 16 and portion of the exhaust duct 9 above the plate 26. The rear of the filter casing 28 is split and is closed by a slide fastener 30 to provide access to the filter and its mounting. The upper end of the filter casing 28 is supported upright along the handle in a manner to be described hereinafter. When the slide fastener 30 is manipulated to open position, the adapter 19 can be tilted on the bellows rearwardly of the cleaner structure from the position thereof illustrated in Figure 1 to facilitate removal of the filter 23 from the adapter for emptying or replacement. The upper end of the filter 23 is closed by a spring clip indicated at 32.

Power is supplied to the unit through a service cord 33 which passes through a molded rubber strain relief element 34 into a switch and connection casing 35. lnteriorly of the casing 35, one line of the service cord 33 is connected through a toggle switch 36 and the other line of thecord 33 is connected to a terminal connection 37. The terminal connection 37 and the toggle switch 36 are respectively connected to separate conductors of an electrical cord 38 which leaves the housing 35 through a molded strain relief member 39.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the housing 35 is split longitudinally in'to half-sections which are held together by a plurality, shown here as three, of securing bolts 40. The terminal connection 37 is mounted in one of the two halves of the housing 35. The switch 36 is held in the housing by means of a rubber or fibre gasket 41. The two halves of the molded housing are provided with suitable flanged seats 42 and 43 which embrace enlarged collars 44 and 45 on the inner ends of the strain relief members 34 and 39 respectively. By reason of this construction, the members 34 and 39 are firmly anchored in the housing 35 when the same is secured by bolts 40 and the elements 34 and 39 are restrained from withdrawal from the housing by the enlarged end collars thereon. The hollow handle 13 is provided with an opening 46 adjacent the other end thereof contoured to receive the switch and cord anchoring housing 35 with a snug fit. The housing 35 is provided with a peripheral flange 47 contoured to fit and abut snugly against the outer surface of the handle 13 when the housing 35 is in assembled relation. The housing 35 is maintained in assembled relation with the handle by means of a nut 48, trapped in suitable recesses formed in the two halves of the housing 35, which receives an anchoring stud 49 extending through the wall of the handle 13 into threaded engagement with the nut 48.

The lower end of the strain relief and supporting member 39 is provided with a transverse molded rubber arm member 50 which is within the top portion of the filter casing 28.

The top end portion of the filter casing 28 is stitched closed and is internally provided with a pair of longitudinal stiffening ribs 51 of fibre or wood secured to the forward and rear sides of the casing just below the closed end thereof by any suitable means such as the rivets 52. The closed end of the filter casing 28, the supporting bar 50 and the stiffening plates 51 are enclosed Within a U-shaped cap member 53 which may be of plastic or lightweight spring steel. The cap member 53 resiliently embraces the filter casing 28 below the bar 50 and plates 51 to maintain these parts in assembled relation. From the foregoing, it is apparent that the filter casing is supported at the top entirely from the strain relief and supporting member 39 which, in turn, is anchored in and supported by the casing 35 which is secured to the propelling handle 13.

The electrical cord 38 extends through the supporting strain relief member 39, the filter casing 28 outside the filter 23 and the structure communicating and connecting the filter assembly to the exhaust outlet 9. At the bottom of the filter casing 28, the cord 38 passes through an opening in the plate 26 which is offset forwardly and to one side of the opening 27. The cord 38 then passes through an opening in the casing Where it is anchored by a cord anchoring clip 54 from which point this cord will connect directly to the electrical motor in a conventional manner.

The housing 35 has the portions thereof which seat the cord strain relief members 34 and 39 angled with respect to each other sothat the service cord 33 will pass out of the back portion of the housing 35 at right angles to the axis of the handle 13 and then curve downwardly but outwardly and away from the filter and its supporting assembly. The portions of the housing 35 mounting and anchoring the strain relief member 39 are angled downwardly at a sharp angle so that this member undergoes only a slight curvature to become parallel to the axis of the handle 13 for the purpose of supporting the filter structure and providing an exit for the connector cord 38.

The member 53 is provided with a top opening 56 which is large enough to permit the collar 45 of the strain relief 39 to be passed thereth'rough. Similarly, the filter casing member 28 also has an opening coinciding with the opening 56 of a size large enough to permit passage of the collar 45.

From the foregoing, it is believed apparent that all electrical connections to the apparatus can be made permanently at the factory and shipped in finally connected relationship with the cleaner body. In the field, the necessary assembly required is merely to seat the end of the handle 13 in the socket 12, secure the stud 14 in position, place the housing 35 in the seat provided therefor in the handle and drive home the stud 49. This construction eliminates separable electrical connection in the handle assembly, places the switch at the upper end of the handle where it may be manipulated by the finger of the operator as she is propelling the cleaner, en'cases the service cord within the filter casing but exteriorly of the filter, and supports the filter assembly on a heavy molded rubber strain relief which is permanently anchored in the switch and connector casing. This results in a simple, economical and thoroughly reliable construction which also has an appearance superior to that of conventional arrangements.

Referring now to Figures '6 to 8, inclusive, a modified form of the invention is disclosed applied to a different type of handle propelled suction cleaner. The cleaner casing is supported on suitable wheels 71 and includes a suction nozzle section 72 communicating with a suction air fan, not shown, which discharges through a 'duct 73. The suction a'ir fan is driven by an electrical motor 74. Apropelli'ng handle 75 is removably seated in a socket 76 by means of a stud 77. The socket 76 is pivotally supported upon 'a pintle 78 carried by 'a bracket 79 secured to the casing 70.

The exhaust duct 73 communicates with a flexible bellows 80, preferably "of rubber, which is engaged by a collar 81 defining the perimeter of an opening in an anchoring plate 82 aligned with the outlet of the duct 73. The plate 82 is secured to a rear flange 82a on the cleaner body 70 by means of studs 83. The upper end of the bellows is supported by a tubular fitting 84 engaged in an opening in the base flange 85 of an adapter tube 86. The flange 85 is provided with a downwardly extending tongue 87 which is pivoted at 88 to a standard 89 mounted on the plate 82 forwardly of the collar 81. A continuous air path is provided from the exhaust duct through the adapter tube 86 to the interior of a filter 90 which is preferably of paper and which telescopically receives the tube 86. The flange 85 earries a spring tab 91 supporting the mid-portion of a clamping wire 92 engaged at its end by a toggle latch 93, which serves to draw the wire tightly about the tube 86 to anchor the filter in operative position.

The filter mounting and connecting structure is surrounded by a tubular filter casing 95, preferably of fabric. The lower end of the filter casing 95 is stitched about a clamping band 96 which seats in a peripheral flange 97 on the plate 82 and is drawn into securing engagement therewith by a draw bolt 98. It is to be noted that the flange 97 at the forward part of the plate 82 is positioned in spaced relationship to the filter mounting structure and the pivoting support for the filter tube 86 for purposes to be described hereinafter. The tubular filter casing 95 is entirely closed except for the portion thereof secured to the flange 97 and for an open slot in its rear central portion which is closeable by a slide fastener 99.

The upper portion of the handle 75 carries a switch containing and anchoring housing 100 which receives a service cord 101 through a molded rubber strain relief 102 which is internally connected to a toggle switch 103. An electrical conductor cord 104 exits from the lower part of the housing through a wire spring type support and strain relief member 105. The switch mounting structure, electrical connections thereto and strain relief structures in this form of the invention are identical with those associated with the housing 35 described in connection with the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, except with reference to the particular structure of the supporting member 105. The housing 100 is demountably secured to the handle 75 by means of a stud 117 in a manner identical with the mode of mounting the housing 35. The conductor cord 104 passes through the strain relief 105, through the filter casing 95 in a manner to be described hereinafter but outside of the filter 100 and its mounting and connecting structures. ductor 104 passes through suitable openings in the plate 82 and rear flange of the cleaner casing whence it passes through the bracket 79 to the motor 74 to which it is permanently connected.

The top portion of the filter casing 95 is gripped between a pair of elongated top plates 107. The plates 107 and the top portion of the bag are provided with openings for receiving a tubular member 108 provided with a groove 109 within which a clamping ring 110 seats for the purpose of clamping the plates 107 and that portion of the casing 95 therebetween against the base of an enlarged tubular end portion 111 on the member 108. The lower end 112 of the spring member 105 is enlarged and is seated within the tubular member 111. A split ferrule 113 having a base flange 114 provided with a central opening which will pass the principal section of the member 105 but will not pass the enlarged end 112 thereof seats in the member 111 in surrounding relation to the section 112 of the strain relief. The split ferrule 114 is retained in position in the member by means of bent over tabs 115 on the upper end of member 111. The connector cord 104 passes through the members 105, 112 and 108 without being gripped by any way of these members to allow relative sliding motion therebetween.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the filter assembly is supported from the switch mounting and connector housing 100 by means of the resilient strain relief member 105. As the handle 75 is rocked on its pintle 78, the member 105 causes the filter assembly to follow the same and elongate and contracts under the stress imposed thereupon by the filter assembly. The tensile stress upon the spring member 105 is not imparted to the conductor 104 by reason of the sliding relationship between the conductor and the filter supporting structure.

This form of the invention, like that described heretofore, permits complete, permanent electrical assembly of the apparatus in the factory and shipment of the assembled electrical structure as a whole with the cleaner proper. In the field, it is only necessary to assemble the handle 75 with the socket 76 and to assemble the casing 100 to the handle.

Both forms of the present invention are characterized by construction in which the entire electrical connection apparatus to the cleaner motor may be permanently assembled at the factory, requiring only a simple rechanical assembly of the switch housing to the handle in the field. Additionally, the conductor cord from the switch to the motor passes through the filter casing and the mechanism which serves to support the upper end of the filter assembly which also serves as a protector and strain relief for that portion of the switch-to-motor electrical cord which is exterior of the filter assembly and motor casing.

In both forms of the invention, the control switch is a distinct element mounted within a casing which also provides an electrical connecting block and supporting The conmeans for the electric cords and filter assembly but'it is within the purview of the invention to make all electrical and mechanical connections within the casing of the switch proper if desired.

I claim:

1. In a suction cleaner having a wheel supported body including a nozzle, an electric motor suction producing means driven by said motor and a discharge duct, the combination of a propelling handle pivotally attached to said cleaner body, a filter member connected to said discharge duct, a protective casing around said filter, an electrical control member removably secured to said handle adjacent the end thereof remote from said cleaner body, an electrical control switch mounted in said control member, a service cord mounted in said control member, an electric cord running from said control member through said protective casing to said motor, said service cord and said electric cord and said switch being so connected that said switch controls the energization of said motor, and a cord strain relief member surrounding the upper end of said electrical cord having one end anchored in said control member and its other end secured to said casing to support the upper end thereof from said handle.

2. In a suction cleaner having a wheel supported body including a suction nozzle, an electric motor, suction producing means driven by said motor, the combination of, a propelling handle detachably and pivotally mounted on said body, a filter secured to said body, a casing around said filter, a control member including an electrical switch and a service cord detachably secured to said handle adjacent the outer end thereof, an electric cord running from said switch to said motor between said filter and said casing, and a support surrounding said electric cord and secured to said control member and said filter casing.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which said support comprises a tapered strain relief member molded about said electrical cord and having a transverse bar member molded to its lower end and lying within said casing, and a channel member resiliently engaging the upper end of said casing about said bar member. 4. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which said support comprises a coil spring having an enlarged end portion, an elongated member engaging the upper end of said filter casing and having an opening receiving said electrical cord, a clamp member engaging said enlarged end of said spring and having a portion extending through said opening around said electrical cord, and means within said casing for securing said clamp member to said elongated member.

5. A suction cleaner comprising a wheel supported body member including a suction nozzle, a propelling handle pivotally mounted on said body member, a motorfan unit on said body member, an exhaust air duct, a filter, means including a flexible connector for connecting said filter to said exhaust duct, a filter casing surrounding said filter and secured to said body member, a control switch detachably mounted on said handle, a service cord connected to said switch, an electric cord running from said switch to said motor-fan unit through said filter casing, a resilient strain relief slidably embracing the upper end of said electric cord and having one end secured to said switch and its other end supporting said filter casing.

6. A suction cleaner comprising a wheel supported body member including a suction nozzle a propelling handle pivotally mounted on said body member, a motorfan unit on said body member, an exhaust air duct, a filter, a mounting member for said filter, a flexible con duit connecting said filter to said exhaust duct, means pivotally mounting said mounting member on said body member for rotation about an axis displaced from the pivotal axis of said handle, a filter casing secured to said body member and surrounding said filter and said filter mounting member, a control switch detachably mounted on said handle, a service cord connected to and supported by said switch, an electrical cord connected to and supported by said switch, said electrical cord extending through said filter casing outside said filter to said body member and being connected to said motor-fan unit, and a resilient strain relief member surrounding said electrical cord in slidable relation thereto and connected to said switch and said filter casing to support said filter casing from said switch.

7. A suction cleaner comprising a wheel supported body member, a unit including a motor-fan assembly and an exhaust duct rotatably mounted on said body member, a propelling handle rigidly connected to said unit, a filter connected to said exhaust duct, 21 filter casing enclosing said filter and connected to said rotatably mounted unit at its lower end, a control switch on said handle adjacent the end thereof, anelectric cord extending from said switch through said filter casing to said motor-fan unit, a strain relief member supported by said switch and surrounding said cord, and means for supporting said filter casing from said strain relief member.

8. A suction cleaner including a body member having a suction nozzle, a motor-fan suction producing unit on said body member, a propelling handle having one end attached to said body member and a manipulating end, a filter structure connected to receive air discharged from said motor-fan unit, a control switch mounted on said handle adjacent the manipulating end thereof, an electric cord extending from said switch to said motorfan unit through said filter structure, a strain relief carried by said switch and surrounding said electric cord, and means for supporting said filter structure on said strain relief.

9. A suction cleaner comprising a body including a suction nozzle, an electrically energized suction producing means on said body for producing a flow of air through said nozzle, a propelling handle pivotally attached to said body member, a filter structure, means connecting the lower end of said filter structure to said suction producing means to receive air discharged from said suction producing means, a control switch mounted on said handle, an electric cord running from said switch through said filter structure to said electrically energized suction producing means, and means for detachably supporting the upper end of said filter structure on said handle, said switch being detachably secured to said handle, said handle being detachably secured to said body and said filter structure supporting means surrounding said electric cord and being supported from said handle through said switch.

10. In a suction cleaner, a wheel supported body member having a suction nozzle, a propelling handle pivotally mounted on said body member, a suction air fan and an electrically energized drive motor therefor on said body for producing cleaning air flow through said nozzle, a discharge duct for said fan on said body, a plate secured to the end of said discharge duct and having an opening therethrough coinciding with the air passageway in said duct, a filter member secured to said plate and communicating with said duct through said opening, a protective casing surrounding said filter and secured to said plate, a control switch detachably secured to the manipulating end of said handle, an electric cord leading from said switch through said protective casing and said plate to said motor, and means surrounding said electric cord and connected to said switch and said protective casing to support said casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 20,489 Leathers Aug. 3-1, 1937 2,083,915 Leathers June 15, 1937 2,095,466 Cummings Oct. 13, 1 937 2,176,467 Milner, Jr. et a1 Oct. 17, 1939 2,610,702 Thornwald Sept. 16, 1 952 2,633,596 Turner et a1. Apr. 7, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 643,648 Germany Apr. 14, 1937 

